Studying bicyclists’ perceived level of safety using a bicycle simulator combined with immersive virtual reality

Nazemi, Mohsen; Eggermond, Michael A.B. van; Erath, Alexander; Schaffner, Dorothea; Joos, Michael; Axhausen, Kay W.

doi:10.1016/j.aap.2020.105943

Cited by 44 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…For the lateral lane position, the LMM model result is marginally significant, bicyclists tend to stay away from the vehicle lane when there is a bike lane, which will lead to a larger lateral distance when a vehicle is trying to pass them. This can help to increase bicyclists' comfort level and safety, which has been shown by many previous studies [37,42].…”

Section: Cycling Performancementioning

confidence: 72%

Roadway Design Matters: Variation in Bicyclists' Psycho-Physiological Responses in Different Urban Roadway Designs

Guo¹,

Tavakoli²,

Robartes³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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As a healthier and more sustainable way of mobility, cycling has been advocated by literature and policy. However, current trends in bicyclist crash fatalities suggest deficiencies in current roadway design in protecting these vulnerable road users. The lack of cycling data is a common challenge for studying bicyclists' safety, behavior, and comfort levels under different design contexts. To understand bicyclists' behavioral and physiological responses in an efficient and safe way, this study uses a bicycle simulator within an immersive virtual environment (IVE). Offthe-shelf sensors are utilized to evaluate bicyclists' cycling performance (speed and lane position) and physiological responses (eye tracking and heart rate (HR)). Participants bike in a simulated virtual environment modeled to scale from a real-world street with a shared bike lane (sharrow) to evaluate how introduction of a bike lane and a protected bike lane with pylons may impact perceptions of safety, as well as behavioral and psycho-physiological responses. Results from 50 participants show that the protected bike lane design received the highest perceived safety rating and exhibited the lowest average cycling speed. Furthermore, both the bike lane and the protected bike lane scenarios show a less dispersed gaze distribution than the as-built sharrow scenario, reflecting a higher gaze focus among bicyclists on the biking task in the bike lane and protected bike lane scenarios, compared to when bicyclists share right of way with vehicles. Additionally, heart rate change point results from the study suggest that creating dedicated zones for bicyclists (bike lanes or protected bike lanes) has the potential to reduce bicyclists' stress levels.

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Section: Cycling Performancementioning

confidence: 72%

Roadway Design Matters: Variation in Bicyclists' Psycho-Physiological Responses in Different Urban Roadway Designs

Guo¹,

Tavakoli²,

Robartes³

et al. 2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This suggests that the strong health benefits outweigh the drawbacks when switching to active transportation. However, since motorist culture, inadequate infrastructure for active transit, and crime may discourage walking and bicycling [ 39 – 41 ], additional work needs to be done on cultural norms, education, and infrastructure investments to obtain greater shifts to active transit in a large proportion of the population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health benefits from cleaner vehicles and increased active transportation in Seattle, Washington

Filigrana

Levy

Gauthier

et al. 2022

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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Background Climate mitigation policies that focus on the transportation sector yield near-term health co-benefits that could motivate policy action. Objective We quantified CO 2 emission reductions as well as the air pollution and health benefits of urban transportation policies promoting electric vehicles (EV) and walking and bicycling in Seattle, Washington. Methods We compared a business-as-usual scenario projected to 2035 with intervention scenarios in which 35% of gasoline vehicles were switched to EV, and 50% of car trips less than 8 kilometers were replaced by walking or bicycling. We modeled changes in primary traffic-generated oxides of nitrogen (NO x ) and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) as well as walking and bicycling activity, CO 2 emissions from traffic, and fatal traffic injuries due to the transportation policy scenarios. We estimated the impacts of these changes on annual cases of asthma and premature mortality in the Seattle population. Results Increasing the use of EV, walking, and bicycling is estimated to reduce CO 2 emissions by 744 tons/year (30%) and lower annual average concentrations of primary traffic-generated NO x and PM 2.5 by 0.32 ppb (13%) and 0.08 μg/m 3 (19%), respectively. In Seattle, the lower air pollutant concentrations, greater active transportation, and lower fatal traffic injuries would prevent 13 (95% CI: −1, 28), 49 (95% CI: 19, 71), and 5 (95% CI: 0, 14) premature deaths per year, respectively and 20 (95% CI: 8, 27) cases of asthma per year. Significance Moving towards cleaner vehicles and active transportation can reduce CO 2 emissions, improve air quality, and population health. The resulting public health benefits provide important motivation for urban climate action plans. Impact statement Using key components of the health impact assessment framework, we quantify the environmental and health benefits of urban transportation policy scenarios that promote electric vehicle use and replace short car trips with walking and bicycling as compared with a business as usual scenario in 2035. Our findings demonstrate that transportation scenarios promoting cleaner vehicles and active transportation can reduce CO 2 emissions, improve air quality, and increase physical activity levels, resulting in significant public health benefits.

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“…Research applying IVEs is also gradually expanding into the field of traffic engineering. Studies such as relative comparisons between the real road environment and the virtual road environment [41] and reviews of road user safety in the virtual environment [42,43] have been conducted, and the scope of their application will increase.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimation of Optimal Speed Limits for Urban Roads Using Traffic Information Big Data

Kim

Jung

2021

Applied Sciences

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The use of an inconsistent speed limit determination method can cause low speed limit compliance. Therefore, we developed an objective methodology based on engineering judgment considering the traffic accident rate in road sections, the degree of roadside development, and the geometric characteristics of road sections in urban roads. The scope of this study is one-way roads with two or more lanes in cities, and appropriate sections were selected among all roads in Seoul. These roads have speed limits of the statutory maximum speed of 80 km/h or lower and are characterized by various speeds according to the function of the road, the roadside development, and traffic conditions. The optimal speed limits of urban roads were estimated by applying the characteristics of variables as adjustment factors based on the statutory maximum speed limit. As a result of investigating and testing various influence variables, the function of roads, the existence of median, the level of curbside parking, the number of roadside access points, and the number of traffic breaks were selected as optional variables that influence the operating speed. The speed limit of one-way roads with two or more lanes in Seoul was approximately 10 km/h lower than the current speed limit. The existing speed limits of the roads were applied uniformly considering only the functional road class. However, considering the road environment, the speed limit should be applied differently for each road. In the future, if the collection scope and real-time collection of road environment information can be determined, the GIS visualization of traffic safety information will be possible for all road sections and the safety of road users can be ensured.

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Studying bicyclists’ perceived level of safety using a bicycle simulator combined with immersive virtual reality

Cited by 44 publications

References 36 publications

Roadway Design Matters: Variation in Bicyclists' Psycho-Physiological Responses in Different Urban Roadway Designs

Roadway Design Matters: Variation in Bicyclists' Psycho-Physiological Responses in Different Urban Roadway Designs

Health benefits from cleaner vehicles and increased active transportation in Seattle, Washington

Estimation of Optimal Speed Limits for Urban Roads Using Traffic Information Big Data

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